How the Brewers expertly handled the return of Trevor Megill

Prior to game 162, the Milwaukee Brewers activated relievers Trevor Megill and DL Hall, both of whom had been out for quite some time with injuries. In order to make room on the roster, Carlos Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A, and Erick Fedde, whose name had been in rumblings to occupy a postseason roster spot, was surprisingly designated for assignment.

Though their returns weren’t guaranteed, Megill and Hall had been quietly making progress on the side. For them to not only be activated before the playoffs, but also pitch in a live game with the energy of a sold-out home crowd behind them, provided a significant mental lift heading into the postseason, especially with both expected to play key roles in the Brewers’ October run.

While Hall struggled a bit during his inning of work and gave up a run, Megill delivered a clean 1-2-3 fourth inning, striking out two and throwing eight of his 12 pitches for strikes. His fastball topped out at 98.1 mph, slightly below his season average of 99.2, and averaged 97.5 mph across five pitches.

Despite the small sample, Megill looked sharp and appears ready to handle whatever role Milwaukee assigns him moving forward. Meanwhile, Fedde, who stepped in admirably over seven games, faces an uncertain future going forward, though his time with the club may not be over just yet.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ strategic roster management with Trevor Megill’s return keeps the door open for an Erick Fedde comeback

The saying “timing is everything” couldn’t be more true in this scenario. By carefully managing Megill’s return from injury, the Brewers not only brought back a key bullpen arm at the ideal moment, ensuring he’s as healthy as possible, but also maintained roster flexibility with Fedde moving forward.

Fedde, who joined the Brewers in late August and is still postseason eligible, but only with Milwaukee, is certainly going to go unclaimed after being designated for assignment. With the regular season over, and Fedde set to be a free agent after the World Series concludes, there would be no point in another team picking him up now, as pointed out by Fan Duel Sports Network's Dominic Cotroneo on the social media platform X.

Had this transaction occurred even a week earlier, it’s possible another team might have claimed Fedde to help them down the stretch. For instance, former Brewers reliever Joel Payamps was picked up by the Braves on September 22.

Now, Fedde’s only path to pitching again this season rests in the hands of the Brewers front office. With the 40-man roster currently sitting at 38, the team has room to bring him back ahead of the NLDS. If they do, it would suggest his brief departure was more of a procedural move than a reflection of performance, especially given how well he pitched and the case he’s made for a postseason roster spot.

Ultimately, the Brewers’ careful roster maneuvers have maximized both player health and roster flexibility as they head into the playoffs. With Megill’s return, and the possibility of Fedde’s comeback, Milwaukee is positioning itself with multiple pitching options, which is a unique advantage at this juncture in the season.